Veit Schubert

JESUS CRIES is a modern adaptation of the New Testament. The story is set in a fictitious metropolis in the near future. The First and Third Worlds are reflected in one city. The divide between poor and wealthy continually grows. As insurrection begins, Jesus of Nazareth becomes the political and spiritual force behind change. He is arrested, tortured, and executed. After his death, his disciples are thrown into confusion with feelings of doubt and guilt. They fight over the interpretation of his teachings and their responsibility to his vision. Will they themselves move to action?

When you read the title ‘Summer on the Balcony’ you probably think it will be a light Berlin summer comedy but it’s not. This film is an intimate study of two women friends who come to each other because of troubles with everyday life and with men and thus try to enjoy a life based on their ideas.

Two people love each other when they know they should not. Their parents' and friends' pleas, their social backgrounds and reputation, their careers; everything is used to make them give each other up. Flattery, lies and threats finally drive Frank to despair and Karin to treason. But it is not due to their parents' hatred, nor to any greed for inherited wealth. Rather, the mere conjecture expressed by the authorities is enough to set off a merciless mechanism.